CORIANDER

Geek talk: Coriandrum sativum

But we talk:Cilantro, Dhaniya, Chinese Parsley

Description: Coriander seeds have travelled widely off from their home base in Romania to become a ubiquitous spice in South Asia. Its largest use is as the key ingredient in a wide variety of curry powders including garam masala. It is seldom used raw and whole, but is often coarsely ground or powdered. The seeds are brittle so they crush easily, but lightly roasting them before grinding brings out their flavor more distinctly. Its a light spice (by weight) and a mild spice by flavor. So its used in handfuls or cupfuls.

Kitchen Pharmacy: Thought to improve digestion, used to treat diarrhoea, cystisis and more. Visit our "Kitchen remedies" section to learn how some homes in India include Coriander in treating some common ailments.